Plan a healthier Easter for your family

Easter is almost here! Whatever it means to your family, Easter is a time that many children look forward to because of the sugary treats that accompany the holiday. This influx of chocolate and sweets is a cause of concern for many parents, especially when combined with a break in the school routine and a possible reduction in the amount of physical activity children take part in every day.

Creating new Easter traditions

Keeping Easter healthy needn’t mean cutting out all of the fun – quite the opposite in fact. Rethinking your Easter traditions can reinject the fun and imagination; putting mood and health-boosting family activities, crafty treats and healthy snacks, in place of shop-bought chocolate eggs. If leaving out the chocolate all together simply isn’t an option, avoid tantrums by keeping the chocolate eggs but insisting that children get active and hunt those eggs down! Outside preferably if weather allows.

Here are just a few great ideas to inspire you towards a healthier Easter for the whole family:

Swap edible gifts for inexpensive keepsakes

Instead of just chocolate eggs this Easter, why not reduce the size of the egg and also buy the children in your family a small toy that will encourage them to get outside and get active?

One example is pavement chalk, which is easily available and brilliant for drawing up hopscotch games or creating temporary outside artwork. Bouncy balls and skipping ropes also make inexpensive but fun gifts that will keep youngsters occupied and last far longer than an edible alternative. For Easter egg hunts, it’s possible to replace chocolate once again- this time with fillable plastic eggs (available in most supermarkets and toy shops) containing small stationery gifts, yoyos or stickers.

Take a trip to the farm

What child doesn’t love a lamb, baby rabbit or chick? Spring is the best time of year to visit the farm. Pack a healthy picnic and get your wellies on. It’s something the whole family can enjoy together. If there isn’t a farm near you, why not simply take a spring walk instead – perhaps to feed the ducks at a local park, and give younger children a mission of spotting 'spring things' on the way. (Daffodils, birds’ nests, snails!)

Play garden games

For sunny days spent at home, it’s still great to be outdoors in the milder spring weather. Inspire children to play outdoors with this great garden game – and remember: joining in yourself will double the fun!

Game: Topsy Turvy

Get coloured pieces of card (or plastic) with two different colours and a plain back and then find an open space. Split up into two teams and place the cards all over the ground, with the two different colours facing upwards. Each team chooses a different colour.

- Stand in opposite corners and on the command ‘Go’, start to turn the cards so your team’s colour is facing up and the other team’s colour is facing down. The aim is for each team (or person) to turn over as many cards as possible of their colour. The other colour will be turning them back so be quick!

- Play for 3-4 minutes and then the person that shouted ‘Go’ shouts ‘Stop’.

- Count the colour cards to see who won. Switch cards and play again!

This game can be tiring so you should be out of breath!

Game: Heads and Tails

Reach your safe zone before you get tagged!

- Create a safe zone using cones (or similar object) at either end of your space.

- Divide into two teams. Label one team HEADS and the other TAILS.

- To start, teams stand with their backs toward each other. Toss the coin into the air. Once the coin has landed on the ground call out if it’s heads or tails. If it was tails, the TAILS team must run to their safe zone.

- The HEADS team will turn around and try to tag the TAILS team before they reach their safe zone. After each toss and chase, players are to return to the centre, tagged players are out of the game.

- Play until one team has captured everyone on the opposite team. That team is the winner!

Make the most of fruit

Fruit is full of valuable vitamins and nutrients, and also provides a great sweet alternative to chocolate. For younger children sliced up fruit or salad can be used to make brilliant Easter bunny faces, and for those who really can’t give up the chocolate, dipping fruit into melted chocolate helps keep the healthy balance right.

Find an Activity Camp near you

Sometimes getting the balance right during the school holidays requires a little extra help. For working parents and carers, or those who simply want to be certain that their children will participate in fun, active days with their peers, an Activity Camp can be a brilliant solution! Fit For Sport camps provide varied and active childcare, are Ofsted registered and are led by qualified children’s activity professionals. Find your nearest camp.